We imagine it will also do pretty well at the Oscars...
Ryan Gosling is re-teaming with the writer/director of La La Land (he was also the guy behind Whiplash, so he's two-for-two so far) on First Man, a re-telling of the story of Neil Armstrong and the mission to put the first man on the moon.
We knew it was always going to be in with a pretty good chance of being great, and not only because it features an incredible supporting cast including Claire Foy (The Crown), Ciaran Hinds (Game Of Thrones), Pablo Schreiber (Den Of Thieves), Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights), Jason Clarke (Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes), Corey Stoll (House Of Cards), but also because the script was written by the guy behind Spotlight, The Post, and twenty episodes of The West Wing.
Well, it turns out we didn't raise our expectations high enough, because the movie debuted at the Venice Film Festival, and... well, we'll let the reviews speak for themselves:
"After seeing First Man, it’s doubtful you’ll think about space flight, or Armstrong’s historic walk, in quite the same way. You’ll know more deeply how it happened, what it meant and what it was, and why its mystery — more than ever — still lingers." - Variety
"In its tragic undertones, complex psychological edifice, and claustrophobic visuals, First Man stands out, in both content and form, as a remarkable, jaw-dropping departure from anything Chazelle has previously made." - The Film Stage
"It’s a credit to the filmmakers and to lead actor Ryan Gosling’s thoughtfully internalized performance as Neil Armstrong that this sober, contemplative picture has emotional involvement, visceral tension, and yes, even suspense, in addition to stunning technical craft." - The Hollywood Reporter
"Steering an astonishingly accomplished path between the small steps and the giant leaps of the Apollo 11 mission, reigning Best Director Damien Chazelle opens the 75th Venice Film Festival with First Man, an immersive, immaculately crafted, often spectacular and satisfyingly old-fashioned epic that may well become the definitive moon-landing movie." - The Playlist
Here is the brand new trailer for you to enjoy before the movie arrives in Irish cinemas on Friday 12 October:
Clip via Universal Pictures
Based on true events, the show holds a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score. Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, the acclaimed 2025 thriller drama, is now available to stream at home. Based on true events, the series sees Severance star Michael Chernus play John Wayne Gacy, the American serial killer who murdered at least 33 young […]
The film skipped cinemas but is well worth a watch. Neighborhood Watch, an excellent but underseen 2025 thriller movie, is now available to stream at home. Accessible through the service NOW, the film sees Jack Quaid (The Boys, Novocaine) play Simon, a man with paranoid schizophrenia. Recently released from a psychiatric hospital, he experiences vivid […]
The film takes its title from a U2 song. Our TV movie pick for tonight (Wednesday, 18 February) is With or Without You, the 1999 Northern Ireland-set comedy-drama directed by Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People, The Trip). The film follows Rosie (Dervla Kirwan, House of Guinness) and Vincent (Christopher Eccleston, Shallow Grave), a couple […]
